Clutch structure



June 3,1947. c. GERST 2,421,493

CLUTCH STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. CHRIS BERST I w Q W on".

June 3,. 1947. I

C. GERST CLUTCH STRUCTURE Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1945 INVENTOR.

3% d. MT

Patented June 3, 3.947

UNITED STATES PATEN r OFFICE 7 Claims.

1 This invention relates in general to friction clutches in which independently rotatable driving and driven members are coupled witheach other by friction disks when same are frictionally engagech wig each other by backing, and

clamping plates and, more particularly, to clutches with adjustable backing plates adapted to effect disks of a clutch.

The general object of the present invention is compensation for wearand tear ,on-the friction an adjustably mounted backing plate and mechanism adjacent to the backin plate adapted to adjust its position for compensating wear and tear of the friction elements of the clutch, such,

mechanism including actuating meansextended through the clamping plate and the backing plate to facilitate actuation of such mechanism with: out disassembly of the clutch.

I A further object of the invention is the provision of a friction-clutch having a shiftable clamping plate, an adjustablymounted backing plate and mechanism for adjusting the position of the backing plate, such adjusting mechanism including actuatingmeans extended through the.

clamping plate and locking means adapted to lock such actuating means in predetermined positions.

With the above and other incidental objects. in

view, ,the invention has other marked improvements and superiorities which radically distinguish it from presently known structures. These improvements or superior characteristics embodying certain novel features or construction are clearly set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter shown with reference to the accompany-.

ing drawings forming part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a, clutch constructed in accordance with the invention, the figure showing a dual arrangement of clutches adapted to beused for effecting changes in speed or a reversal in rotation of the driven member;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the clutch shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on line 3-4 of Fig. 1; j

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hub of the clutch structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the hub shown in Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is. an end view of the clamping plate of the clutch; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the shifting collar of the clutch.

Referring now more particularly to the clutch structure shown in the drawings, reference numerals 2 designate shafts, the driving members of the constructionyahd reference numerals 3 designate gears. the drivenmembers of the construction. Shafts 2 are rigidly coupled with each other by a dual clutch construction 4, the elongated hub 5 of which is splined to said shafts. This hub includes a central portion 6 and reduced. end portions 1 mounting identical clutch constructions 8, 8', only one of which will be described hereinafter. These constructions each embody a plurality of friction driving disks 9 splined to the end portions of hub 5 and arranged thereon for axial movement with respect thereto.

These friction driving disks are alternately disposed with respect to a pluralityof friction driven disks H! with toothed peripheries ll arranged in driving engagementwith the toothed flange I! of gear 3 so as to permit axial movement of disks 10 with respect to said flange. The thus related sets of friction driving disks 9 and friction driven disks III are forced into frictional driving engagement by a pair of clamping members. an addustabutment, engage the assembly of disksv 9 and Ill at its opposite'sides and effect frictional driving engagement between these disks when the clamping or pressure plate I! is shifted against the force of release springs [8 on guide pins I 9 in plate I! by a clutch actuating mechanism 2!! hereinafter to be described.

[Backing plate M, which abuts against collar I5, is adjustably mounted to permit adjustment of the space between plates II and I] and maintain proper relationship between these plates in accordance with wear and tear on friction disks 9 and Ill. For such purpose, collar I5 is threadedly engaged with the threaded end l6 of hub 5 so that rotation of said collar effects axial shifting of backing plate [4 with respect to clamping plate II. 'To facilitate sucharotation, the peripheral surface of collar- I5 is formed with teeth 2| co-operating with the teeth 22 of a small gear 23 at the end of a shaft 24 which isextended through backing plate I4, friction driving disks 9 and a bore 25 in clamping plate I! and carries at its exposed end 26, adjacent to clamping plate l1, knurled collar 21 permitting manual rotation of shaft 24 and therewith rotation of collar 15 for adjusting operations. A spring-pressed plunger 28 radially arranged in clamping plate I! and provided at its outer end with an angular offset 29 adapted to ride on the peripheral surface of said clamping plate eflects locking of actuating means adapted to prevent shaft 24 when the angular offset 29 enters a recess 30 in said peripheral surface and permits interlocking oLinner end 31 of plunger 28 with a recess 32 in shaft 24.

Clutch constructions 8, 8, are shifted into actuating mechanism 20 resembling the mechanism described in my co-pending application Ser. No; 537,874, filed May 29, 1944, now patent No. 2,392,984, dated January 15, 1946. This mechanism which is shiftably mounted on the central hub portion 6 embodies dual clutch lever means 33 pivotally coupled with a collar member'34 by means of a pin 35. The collar member is slidably keyed to a flange or rim 35 of hub surrounding the enlarged central portion 5 of the hub and integrally connected therewith by a radial wall 31. Flange or rim .36 is cut away clutch .lever means 33 to permit tilting of lever arms 39 toward the axis of hub 5 and engagement of rollers 40 at the ends of these arms with the radial wall 31 when collar member 34 is shifted on flange or rim 39.

In clutching operations, when shifting collar 4| and therewith collar member 34 are shifted in either direction, rollers 40 on arms 39 tilt clutch lever means 33 toward the inclined contact surface 42 of clamping plate H. In this movement the one roller 40 on the one lever arm 39 engages the inclined contact surface 42 of clamping plate I1, and, being backed against radial wall 31, shifts such clamping plate toward backing plate l4 and effects frictional driving engagement between disks 9 and 10. In clutch releasing operations collar 4| and therewith collar member 34' are shifted in the opposite direction permitting clamping plate H to be shifted in an opposite direction by release springs l8.

In clutch adjusting operations collar member 34 is shifted to release the clutch to be adjusted. Such shifting of collar member 34 freely exposes knurled collar 21 at the end of shaft 24 and permits its manual rotation for adjustment of the position of backing plate [4 as soon as springpressed plunger23 has been withdrawn from recess 32 in shaft 24.

Having thus described my invention what I 1. ma clutch, the combination of friction for driving engagement with bers, a'clamping plate for said friction members, and means adapted to adiustably mount said backing plate, said means including rotatable actuating means extended through said backing and clamping plates.

2. In a clutch, the combination of friction members adapted for driving engagement with each other, a backing plate for said friction members, a clamping plate for said friction members, and means adapted to adjustably mount said including rotatable actuating means extended through said backing and clamping plates, and locking means for said rotation of said actuating means when in predetermined positions.

3. In a clutch, the combination of friction members adapt-ed for driving engagement with each other, a backing plate for said friction members, a clamping plate for said friction members, and means adapted to adjustably mount said backing plate, said means including rotatable actuating means extended through said backing 4 and clamping plates, and shiftable locking means for said actuating means supported by said clamping plate and adapted to prevent rotation of said actuating means when in predetermined positions.

4. In a clutch, the combination of friction members adapted for driving engagement with each other, a backing plate for said friction members, adjustable backing means for said backing plate, a, clamping plate for said friction member,

' and means for adjusting said backing means ex- I actuating means for selective tended through said backing and clamping means.

5. In a clutch a hub, clutching structures at opposite end portions of said hub, and,clutch actuating means for selective actuation of either of said clutching structures mounted on the central portion of said hub, each of said clutching structures including friction members adapted for driving engagement with each other, a backing plate, a clamping plate, means adapted to adjustably mount said backing plate, and means to actuate said adjusting means, said clutching structures having their clamping plates near the central portion of said hub, and said actuating means for said adjusting means being extended through the respective clamping plates toward said central hub portion to facilitate adjustment of said backing plates.

6. In. a clutch a hub, clutching structures at opposite end portions of said hub, and clutch for selective actuation of either central portion Of said hub, each of said structures including friction members adapted for driving engagement with each other, a backing plate, a clamping plate, arbacking collar for said backing plate threadedly enga'ged with the hub for whe rotated on said hub, and actuating means for said backing collar rotatably supported by said backing and clamping plate and coupled with said backing collar for rotating same.

'7. In a clutch a hub, clutching structures at opposite end portions of said hub, and clutch actuation of either of said clutching structures mounted on the central portion of said hub, each of said clutching structures including friction members adapted for, driving engagement with backing plate, a clamping plate, a backing collar for said backing plate threadedly engaged with the hub for axial movement with respect thereto when rotated on said hub, actuating means for said backing collar rotatably supported by said backing and clamping plate and geared to said backing collar, and locking means for said actuating means.

CHRIS GERS'I.

REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are the of this patent:

UNITE STATES PATENTS 'of record in the axial movement with respect thereto 

